High-capacity hydrogen refuelling stations, manufactured by Haskel in Sunderland, UK, have been deployed as part of Australasia’s first zero-emission green hydrogen refuelling network, Hiringa Refuelling New Zealand (HRNZ).
Hiringa Energy has been developing a hydrogen production and refuelling network to support large-scale refuelling for heavy-duty vehicles, across New Zealand. Haskel, a world leading provider of high-pressure industrial gas and liquid handling equipment, has designed, manufactured and delivered hydrogen compression solutions, enabling the New Zealand stations to achieve the high-pressure refuelling required for zero-emission heavy transport.
Phase 1 of the development, launched by Hon Simeon Brown, New Zealand Minister of Energy and Transport, includes four GENO refuelling stations, selected to provide coverage for the major heavy freight routes in the North Island. As demand for zero-emission transport grows, over 24 refuelling stations are expected to come online across New Zealand.
David Muckle, Hydrogen Systems General Manager at Haskel, said:
“The rollout of Haskel’s reliable, and versatile GENO technology in these hydrogen refuelling stations in New Zealand is a great example of how international collaboration, policy and a positive investment climate can accelerate demand for decarbonisation infrastructure.”
Tuesday’s launch saw three strategically located stations opening in Wiri (South Auckland), Te Rapa (Hamilton) and Palmerston North, with a fourth station in Tauranga expected to come online shortly. Together, these initial stations will be positioned to service 95% of the heavy freight routes across the North Island.
With the opening of this network, hydrogen-powered trucks can go into commercial operation, enabling the decarbonisation of road transport and taking an important step towards New Zealand’s 2050 Net Zero target.
The four compression and refuelling systems being deployed in the North Island were manufactured at Haskel’s Hydrogen Centre of Excellence in Sunderland, before being shipped to New Zealand. This trailblazing project, and the blueprint for an efficient, scalable, and commercially viable hydrogen refuelling network that is creates, is set to serve as a model for the deployment of hydrogen refuelling networks across the globe. This includes in the UK, where the Department for Transport is currently developing an HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicles) Infrastructure Strategy designed to support the decarbonisation of UK heavy transport.
Andrew Clennett, CEO of Hiringa Energy said:
“Heavy transport plays a vital role in our economy, but it’s also a significant contributor to our national emissions. As a first-of-its-kind across Australasia and one of the first networks setup globally to service heavy transport, the initiative addresses this major challenge by providing operators with the infrastructure they need to switch to zero-emission transport. Haskel’s partnership with Hiringa has delivered a high capacity compression solution that unlocks the opportunity at scale.”
Haskel Hydrogen Systems is well-versed in large-scale high pressure compression installations, having customised its Geno Range to align to Hydrogen storage, transportation& refuelling needs of large fleets in a diverse set of projects. Haskel’s portfolio of work in hydrogen compression & refuelling positions them as an ideal partner on challenging initiatives, such as HRNZ, that make meaningful strides towards establishing a thriving hydrogen mobility market.
